By Mayibuye Melisizwe Mandela
Condemning the Attack on Donovan Marx
We strongly condemn the brutal attack on North West farmer Donovan Marx. Reports say attackers cut off his ears during an attack on his farm.
No human being deserves such cruelty. We wish him a full recovery. Furthermore, we demand that the authorities bring those responsible to justice.
The five arrests mark an important development. However, the case must now follow the proper legal process.
The Reality Facing Black Communities
We must also have an honest conversation about selective outrage in South Africa.
Black communities face violent crime every day. This includes communities in Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Langa and Manenberg. The same reality affects townships across the country.
Residents face murder, rape, armed robberies, gangsterism and intimidation. Families bury their children. Women suffer assaults. Young people lose their lives.
As a result, many communities live in fear and insecurity. These problems are real. They affect thousands of ordinary Black South Africans.
But where is the same level of national outrage when these communities experience horrific violence?
Why don’t we hear the same voices? Where are the national campaigns and public declarations when Black families lose their loved ones?
Remembering Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu
We must also remember Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu.
These two Black women died in a horrific Limpopo farm attack. Reports said attackers placed their bodies in a pigsty and fed them to pigs.
A farm owner and his employees faced allegations in this case.
Their lives mattered. Their families deserved public attention, solidarity and a strong demand for justice.
Furthermore, we must confront the abuse and exploitation of some Black farm workers.
Some workers experience bullying and intimidation at the hands of farm owners. Farm workers are human beings. They deserve dignity, decent working conditions and protection under the law.
Crime Is Not Evidence of Genocide
Let us also be clear about the attack on Donovan Marx.
It was a brutal crime. However, this incident alone does not prove genocide.
We cannot turn individual criminal cases into racial propaganda without establishing the facts.
South Africa faces a serious crime problem. Therefore, every victim deserves justice, regardless of race, economic status or where they live.
We must never suggest that violence against one person matters less because of their race.
Equally, we must never accept that people should treat the suffering of Black communities as normal. Their pain deserves national attention and solidarity.
Justice and Compassion Must Be Equal
A human life is a human life.
Justice cannot be selective. Similarly, compassion must never depend on race.
We condemn the attack on Donovan Marx. At the same time, we demand equal attention to the lives of Maria Makgato, Lucia Ndlovu and countless Black victims of violence.
Every victim deserves the same seriousness, humanity and commitment to justice.
The views expressed in this opinion piece belong to Mayibuye Melisizwe Mandela and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECNewsLive.
